9 Years to Close an MSP Lead: Persistence Pays Off
Many business leaders in today's world have run into failure, and it's not because they're not good enough, it's because they completely gave up. It's understandable when the path feels like there is no end to it, and reaching the goal feels impossible. However, if you want to succeed, you must learn to enjoy the journey.
When things get tough for your business, there is always the temptation to stop communicating because you're not sure what will happen next and you don't want to say or do the wrong thing. Regardless of what is happening, it's always best to keep a line of communication open. Another thing you should never stop doing is marketing your business.
I'm amazed at some of the logic many business leaders use: ''Things are tough right now. Sales are low. Let's minimize how much marketing we are doing." Even when times are tough, don't hurt your business even more by cutting down on marketing or giving up on it completely.
We know many business leaders have pushed marketing to the very bottom of their list of things to do. When it comes to marketing your business, you should have a plan and you should know how to put that plan into use—especially when things are rocky. With the right marketing plan in place, you can continue using that plan to grow your business regardless of what else may be happening around you.
Here's why you should never give up on marketing and pursuing leads.
Marketing Will Always Matter
One of the real problems for many business leaders is that marketing is not always viewed as an essential source of lead generation. Marketing should be viewed as much more than something good to have in your back pocket whenever you need it.
One of the most amazing aspects of marketing is following up with the leads you have been able to acquire due to your marketing efforts. It's a process that requires time, skill, and patience, but the results are substantial when done the right way. It's no secret that business leaders are busy. Sometimes there's just not enough time in the day to handle everything going on with existing clients or the volume of leads that are coming. Trying to keep up with all of these things can be overwhelming.
However, when you fail to dedicate the time and resources to your marketing efforts and follow-up techniques, qualified leads will slip right through your fingers, which means you have missed out on business that could have boosted your bottom line. You will be surprised at the high number of qualified leads that are never pursued.
You must adjust your views of marketing as a source of lead generation and growth for your business. Maybe you tried something new for a month or you remember what you tried 9 years ago, and those things didn't work. Where did you go wrong?
- You tried one thing and you never tried it again because it didn't work the first time. Marketing does not work this way.
- You gave it a shot for a full month – and nothing worked. We're talking about marketing, not magic.
- You put in the work without any help. Sometimes it's best to ask for help.
Persistence Can Pay Off When Pursuing Leads
When pursuing leads, you must be persistent. One call or email isn't enough to capture the attention of a potential client. You should be reaching out regularly and providing leads with valuable and relevant information about your business, your expertise in managed IT services, and your ability to help them.
Reaching out to an experienced and qualified marketing team such as Ulistic can be especially effective for managed service providers (MSP), as we understand the importance of effective lead nurturing strategies. When a potential client completes a contact form on your contact page, do they receive a follow-up email? Do you provide them with some information on your MSP business, highlighting the value that you can bring to the table? You must establish differentiators that will help you stand out from the competition, such as the following:
- Certifications and Awards and recognition
- Written and video testimonials from existing clients
- Your unique approach to managed IT services
- Whether or not you offer free consultations
When potential clients receive emails thanking them for their interest in your managed IT services and explaining how your MSP is positioned to help address their specific needs, the emails will give your MSP business a leading edge because your MSP business appears in their inbox from time to time.
What Is Your Approach to Pursuing Leads?
Two of the most common obstacles to a lead follow-up are a lack of time and a lack of resources. Therefore, it's important to measure the quality of each lead as early as possible. You will be unable to pursue each lead with the same mindset or strategy. You must consider what can be determined as a good lead compared to a lead that will require you to put forth more effort because the lead needs more development.
You must also consider how you will distribute your resources toward that specific development. This will differ based on the points of contact your potential leads have been communicating with, as well as the amount of information they have included in the contact form, what they have shared in a phone conversation about their unique needs, or what they have shared in an email conversation.
You must take a continuous and intentional approach to marketing. If there are any lapses in messaging, the slightest gap will be more than enough for your competitor to fill. You must have a plan to tailor your messages to every stage of the potential client's journey. Doing so can help you guide your leads through the process of becoming your next client.
If you stop marketing, the number of leads and new clients you've been getting will start to decline. Eventually, you can go through a significant period with no leads at all. If your current strategy isn't giving you the results you thought it would, don't stop the pursuit. Make adjustments to your strategy instead of stopping. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you acquire the leads you have been pursuing.
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